


stories that will never be again

by shinewithalltheuntold



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Dragon Queen - Freeform, F/F, a natural death, after a long full life, but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-20 05:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8236988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinewithalltheuntold/pseuds/shinewithalltheuntold
Summary: For the Tumblr prompt: Dragon Queen - an ending





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when you give my angsty muse a prompt like "an ending."

“I’m sorry.”

Regina’s voice was as thin and frail as the hand lying limply in Mal’s own.  Her eyes, those beautiful eyes that had gazed at her over the long years with fire and rage and betrayal and love and emotion too deep to name, were clouded over with pain.

“Shh….” Mal reached out and gently tucked a few stray silver strands that had escaped Regina’s braid behind her ear. “Don’t be sorry, Little Bird.”

“I don’t want to leave you,” she shifted as though to sit up, but even that small movement caused her to wince and sink back into the pillows, “but I’m tired.  I’m so tired, Mal.”

Mal pressed her lips to Regina’s temple.  She was cold, so cold, and all Mal’s fire couldn’t warm her now, but it could at least ease some of the pain of Regina’s failing body.

She’d held on long enough for Henry to return to Storybrooke.  He’d been on another book tour, in London when Mal called to tell him it was time to come home, and he’d immediately cancelled the remainder of the tour and booked a flight back to Maine for himself and Violet.  His daughter and her wife were already there with the grandchildren – a small blessing for Regina as they filled the house with their laughter and youth, sparking just enough in their great-grandmother to keep her going until her beloved little prince returned to her.

He was downstairs with them all now, telling them stories of a young queen who once flew on the back of a dragon.  Mal could still see that young queen, with her hesitant voice and soft hands and that strange mix of innocence and rage.  She could see the older queen as well, the one that had well-earned her Evil title.  And Mayor Mills, and the lasagna making homework checking mom, the seductive lover and the domestic partner, friend and grandmother and protector.  She saw it all, everything that Regina was and had ever been, and loved every last molecule.

In all her long centuries, Mal had only twice allowed herself to become so attached to a mortal.  It was a dangerous prospect, to love creatures whose time was so fleeting, to open herself to the inevitable loss.  The first time had been a disaster, leaving her to stew in heartbreak and humiliation for decades until she had decided to take out her grief on an innocent young girl (but even that had been worth it in the end, because Aurora was full of strength and understanding and forgiveness, and the first time little Phillip had called her “Auntie Mal” she’d almost cried, and when Aurora had shown up at her door full of her own rage and heartbreak at the loss of her husband and had fallen into Mal’s arms weeping Mal had cried with her even as she reveled in the friendship she didn’t deserve but cherished greatly.)

But the second time. _Oh, the second time._ Regina had broken her heart more thoroughly than Briar Rose could have ever dreamed of and then healed it in ways Mal could have hoped for.  She had taken away Mal’s freedom and had given her the greatest love Mal had ever known.  But even if there had been no Lily, Mal would not regret one second of her life with her beautiful little bird.

But now those seconds, almost a centuries worth, were drawing to a close. Regina’s breaths were so shallow and her attempt to squeeze Mal’s fingers were no stronger than a baby’s.  Her whispered _I love you so much_ was barely audible but it echoed throughout Mal’s entire being.  She placed Regina’s hand down long enough to slip into the bed beside her, enveloping her gently, so gently, into her embrace.

She leaned her head on her love’s, gold tangling with silver. “I love you too, little bird.  So much.” She pressed another kiss to Regina’s brow. “Always.”

She was rewarded with a sweet smile and one last loving look before Regina’s eyes closed.  They never opened again, not even when Henry crawled into bed on her other side, his fingers and hers and Mal’s all woven together.  And when Regina at last exhaled without the answering inhale in return, they wrapped themselves more tightly around her as their tears mingled and fell softly onto a face that finally showed complete peace.  Soon they would have to go downstairs, to say the words that would make Regina’s absence final and absolute, to offer and receive comfort from all those who loved her.  They would have to figure out how to live a life without the fierce blazing inferno of her love to warm and guide them through the dark times.

But for now, for these few seconds minutes hours, they would lie wrapped around her and weep.


End file.
